AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant (s): Loyalty Media Invention Title: CREDIT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND METHOD The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us; - 2 CREDIT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND METHOD Field of the Invention 5 The present invention generally relates to the provision of credit information, and particularly but not exclusively to a system and method for the provision of credit information. 10 Background of the Invention A typical commercial provider of a product and/or a service is generally unable to determine the risk that a prospective client or customer will not pay for a provided 1s, product or service. Summary of Invention According to a first aspect of the invention, there 20 is provided a credit information computing system providing: a credit information service for a plurality of users, the system having an interface controller arranged to enable uploading to the system by at least some of the 25 users at least one electronic document relating to at least one outstanding debt incurred by at least one entity; storing the at least one document on an electronic file system searchable by entity identifier; 30 the computing system comprising a search engine arranged to extract and process information from the electronic file system to search the electronic file system for information associated with an entity identifier; - 3 the interface controller being further arranged to receive a request for credit information relating to a party identified by a respective entity identifier; and the search engine searching for credit information 5 relating to the party when the request is so received. In the context of this specification, the meaning of a debt encompasses, for example, money owing in relation to a product or service that has been provided on a 10 commercial basis. Examples of services are cleaning, conveyancing, a laboratory or pathological service, printing, the provision of a loan, or the provision of a line of credit. Generally a debt is established whenever a financial instrument (for example money, an equity or a 15 bond), is made owing, and the meaning of a debt should not be construed narrowly. In the context of this specification, the meaning of entity encompasses, for example, a legal person, a company, a business, a sole trader or partnership. In the context of this 20 specification, the meaning of entity identifier encompasses, for example, a business number (such as an Australian Business Number or ABN), business name, and an entity specific code. It could be any identifier. 25 In an embodiment, the users of the system are generally providers of products and/or services. The users are each able to upload at least one document relating to an outstanding debt. The documents may comprise, for example, one or more of an invoice, a 30 statement, a final notice, a letter of demand, a statement of claims, a legal notice, a document prepared by a lawyer, and a Garnishment (Garnishee order). Generally any document attesting to a credit status may be suitable. 35 In an embodiment, the system is accessible by a member of the general public. The system is generally not restricted, for example, for use internal of one organisation. The system may be available over the internet to persons subscribing to the system. It may be s a publicly available credit enquiry system. In an embodiment, the plurality of users may be each registered with the system and the system may be arranged such that a member of the general public can request to be io registered with the system to become one of the plurality of users. The system may be arranged such that on registration of each user a business identification number must be provided. The system may be arranged such that on registration of each user an account chargeable by the 15 system must be provided. The account may comprise one or more of a BPAY (TM) account and a credit card account, for example. The system may be arranged to screen a member of the general public for their suitability to become a registered user. For example, a member of the general 20 public known by the system to be a bad debtor may be prevented by the system from becoming one of the registered users. In an alternative embodiment, use of the system is 25 free of any charge. The users of the system may be able to query the system and so determine the risk of a prospective client or customer not paying their invoices, or whether an 30 existing client has become a bad debtor. In an embodiment, the system is arranged to receive a request for credit information relating to a party. The system may be arranged to search the electronic file 35 system for information relating to the party. The system - 5 may be arranged to provide at least some credit information relating to the party found on the electronic file system. The provided information relating to the party may be one of the at least one electronic document 5 stored on the electronic file system. The request may be made by a user of the system or their agent. Their agent may be, for example, a computer process that is part of or complementary to enterprise software. 10 In an embodiment, the interface controller is arranged to provide the at least some credit information. In an embodiment, the system is arranged to alert one of the users when an electronic document associated is with a party is received. The system may be arranged to send at least one electronic communication to alert the one of the users. The at least one electronic communication may comprise an email. The at least one electronic communication may comprise a communication sent 20 via an electronic social network. The at least one electronic communication may comprise a communication sent via a short message service. An alert service is convenient. A user is less 25 likely to miss a change in the credit status of a party than if they had to manually and periodically query the system. In an embodiment, the system comprises a web page 30 server configured to facilitate a human-machine interface(s). The human-machine interface(s) may comprise a credit information service portal on the internet. In an embodiment, the system comprises the 35 electronic file system. The system may comprise a search - 5A engine for searching the electronic file system. In an embodiment, the system is arranged to allow one of the users to send to another of the users an 5 electronic communication via the system. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable medium providing a computer program comprising instructions for controlling a 10 computing system to implement a method of providing credit information to any one of a plurality of users, the method comprising the steps of: receiving from at least one of the users at least one electronic document relating to at least one 15 outstanding debt incurred by at least one entity; storing the at least one document on an electronic file system searchable by entity identifier; receiving a request for credit information relating to a party identified by a respective entity identifier; 20 and extracting and processing information from the electronic filing system to search for credit information relating to the party. 25 In an embodiment, the users are each a member of the general public. In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of registering each of the plurality of users. 30 In an embodiment, the step of registering each of the plurality of users comprises the step of screening each user for their suitability to become a registered user.
- 6 In an embodiment, the step of registering each of the plurality of users comprises the step of receiving a business identification number for each user. 5 In an embodiment, the step of registering each of the plurality of users comprises the step of receiving details of an account chargeable by the system. In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of 10 receiving a request for credit information relating to a party. The method may comprise the step of searching the electronic file system for the party. The method may comprise the step of providing at least some credit information relating to the party found on the electronic 15 file system. The provided information relating the party may comprise one of the at least one electronic document stored on the electronic file system. In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of 20 alerting at least one of the users when an electronic document associated with a party is received. In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of sending at least one electronic communication to alert the 25 one of the users. The at least one electronic communication may comprises an email. The at least one electronic communication may comprise a communication sent via an electronic social network. The at least one electronic communication may comprise a communication sent 30 via a short message service. In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of sending web page information. The web page information may define a credit information service portal on the 35 internet. 2395575_$ (G MEtrs) - 7 The documents may comprise one or more of an invoice, a statement, a final notice, a letter of demand, a statement of claims, a legal notice, a document prepared by a lawyer, and a Garnishment. Generally any document 5 attesting to a credit status may be suitable. In an embodiment, the method may comprise the step of facilitating sending of a communication from one of the users to another of the users_ 10 In an embodiment, the method is performed by a processor. The processor may be part of a computer system. The computer system may comprise a web server. is According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions for controlling a computer to implement a method in accordance with the second aspect of the invention. 20 According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with the third aspect of the invention. 25 According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method comprising a member of the general public providing information relating to an outstanding debt and making the information available to the general public. 30 In an embodiment, the information is provided in the form of a document- The document may be an electronic document. 35 According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method, the method comprising sending a request to a system providing credit information for 2386575_ (GHMaftaes) - 8 information indicative of an outstanding debt relating to a party The request may be for an indication of whether of s not the system has any such outstanding debt information relating to a party. The request may be for more detailed information, such as a request for a document. In an embodiment, the method comprises receiving 10 outstanding debt information relating to the party sent in response to the request. The method may comprise the step of processing the information for presentation to a person. For example, a flag may be displayed on a computer display indicating the system holds outstanding debt 15 information. The presented processed information may be coincident with the presentation of other information relating to the party. According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there 20 is provided a computer program comprising instructions for controlling a computer to implement a method in accordance with the sixth aspect of the invention. According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there 25 is provided a computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with the seventh aspect of the invention. The term "server" in this specification is intended 30 to encompass any combination of hardware and software that performs services for connected clients in part of a client-server architecture. The client and a server may be separate software running on a single piece of hardware or a plurality of connected pieces of hardware. 2 ( flDS57ll (GHM~tW - 9 Brief description of the Figures In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the present invention embodiments will now be 5 described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a credit information system; Figure 2 shows an example of a screen shot of a web 10 page served by the system of figure 1 and displayed on a user's machine for the user to upload a document; Figure 3 shows an example of a screen shot of a web page served by the system of figure 1 and displayed on the user's machine for the user to enter a party's name; and 15 Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method facilitated by the system of figure 1. Detailed Description of embodiments of the invention 20 Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a credit information system generally indicated by the numeral 1. The system I is connected to a network 10 such as, but not necessarily, the internet. The system 1 may be described as a credit information service portal on the 25 internet. Various embodiments of system such as 1 may comprise a computer, computer system, personal computer, computer server, a data farm, an embedded system or any other one 30 or more suitable devices. The system may comprise any appropriate architecture and appropriate software. The system is not limited to being one or more servers. It may be any device having any appropriate architecture. 35 Typically, users such as 14,16,18 & 20 of the system 1 access the system 1 via machines 22,24,26,28. These machines are, in this embodiment, personal computers 2395575_1 ( ur - 10 running a web browser 23 which is used to access the system 1 via the internet 10. The machines are in communication with a web server 32 of the system 1. The web server 32 of system 1 sends web pages to the machines 5 22 to 28 and in turn receives requests, information and data from them. Alternatively, instead of a web browser proprietary or other client software 27 downloaded earlier may be used io to access the system. In other embodiments, the system is accessed via mobile or smart phones over a cellular network, using an interactive voice response system or on board web browser. The machines are, in another embodiment, another type of handheld wireless devices 15 connected to the network 10. Any appropriate access device could be used. Although the following describes a web based implementation, it will be understood that any suitable 20 client software could be used in the embodiments. The system 1 serves web pages to the machines 22 to 28 to facilitate interaction. The displayed pages interface the system and the users. A web server 32 controls and serves the web pages defining the human-machine interfaces. When 25 served to a device, the interface may be manipulated by the user at that device. In an alternative embodiment, the interface is provided by proprietary software on the machine. The software may be downloaded over the internet 30 The system 1 includes an interface controller in the form of a web server 32, and an electronic communications server in the form of email server 34 which are all connected via a local area network 36 to a gateway 38. 35 The email server may also facilitate the sending of SMS messages or messages to an online social network. The gateway 38 connects the system 1 to the wide area network 25575_(GHIAnw) - 11 10. The gateway may comprise any one or more of a modem, wireless card, router or firewall. The servers 30 to 34 are, in this embodiment, independent pieces of hardware running specialized software that encode the steps s required to run the system 1. The software may be stored on a computer readable medium such as a hard drive, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or optical disk or other. However, in some other embodiments the servers may form part of a single physical server, general purpose computer 10 or embedded system and may also incorporate the gateway 38_ The system 1 is arranged to enable a user such as one of 14, 16, 18 & 20 to send to the system an electronic 15 document relating to an outstanding debt incurred by at least one entity. The uploading may be facilitated by code for sending data via a web page interface as known. Figure 2 shows a screen shot 40 of a web page served by system 1 and displayed on a user machine 22-23 for the 20 user to upload a document. The uploaded document is received by the web server 32 and then sent to and stored on an electronic file system 30. In this embodiment, the electronic file system comprises a storage space for the documents, a database of pointers, each pointer pointing 25 to an associated stored document, and a search engine for searching the database of pointers. The search engine in an embodiment comprises part of the database.. Figure 4 shows the steps required in one embodiment of a method facilitated by the system 1. The overall process is 30 generally indicated by the numeral 60. In step 62, a user uploads a document relating to an outstanding debt incurred an entity. In step 64, the document is stored on the database of entity credit information searchable by entity name. 35 The users of the system 1 are typically, but not limited to, providers of products and/or services on a 2355rU(H~tes - 12 commercial basis. The documents may comprise, for example, one or more of an invoice, a statement, a final notice, a letter of demand, a statement of claims, a legal notice, a document prepared by a lawyer, and a s Garnishment. The documents may be in any suitable format but could, for example, be in any one of TIFF, PDF and BITMAP formats. The system 1 is an open system and generally 10 available for use by a member of the general public 14-20. The system may be found using a search engine such as GOOGLE (TM) and accessed by clicking on the link provided. The web address of the system is not secret. Indeed, because the power of the system may be enhanced by having 15 a broad base of users that form a community of concerned persons, it is highly desirable to promote the system to the public and register as many members of the general public as possible as users 14-20. Some embodiments of the system are ready for hundreds of thousands or millions 20 of users, typically but not necessarily across a single area such as a state or country. The system may alternatively be locally based or even restricted to users from one industry, such as the printing industry. 25 The plurality of users 14-20 are, in this but not in all embodiments, each registered with the system and the system is arranged such that a member of the general public can request to be registered with the system to become one of the plurality of registered user. 20 Registration is, in this embodiment, via a web page. The user supplies a user name and password during the registration process. A business identification number and an account chargeable by the system are provided by the user to the system, typically over a web page. The 35 account may be one of a BPAY (TM) account and a credit card account, for example. The system 1 has a data verifier 35 which communicates over the network with a 2395575_1 (Gr1Melters) - 13 government registry of identification numbers. In Australia, for example, the registry may be the Australian Business Register and the number may be an Australian Business Number. In this embodiment, only if the number S is confirmed as a valid number is the user registered by the system 1. The data verified may also check with the provider of the credit card account its status, and the system registers the user only if the account status is clear. The system communicates with a payment system 42 10 which may be a web based credit card payment facility, or a web interface provided by a third party payment provider such as PAYPAL (TM) and BPAY (TM), for example, to facilitate payment for the provision of a service. The payment system is, in an alternative embodiment, part of 15 the system 1. As part of registration a verification number is physically mailed to a supplied address. Only when the user enters this verification number over the web do all capabilities of the system 1 become available to the user. For example, documents uploaded by the user are 20 not viewable by other users until verification in complete. The system 1 may be arranged to screen a member of the general public for their suitability to become a 2S registered user. For example, a member of the public known by the system to be a bad debtor or associated with a bad debtor may be prevented by the system from becoming one of the registered users. 30 The users 14-20 of the system 1 embodiment of Figure 1 are able to query the system and so determine the risk of a prospective client or customer not paying their invoices, or whether an existing client has become a bad debtor- The database can receive queries from the users 35 via the web server 32 to search the database for documents recorded against an entity name. Figure 3 shows a screen shot 50 of a web page served by the system and displayed 2395575_t (CHKOnerW) - 14 by a user's machine for the user to enter a party's name. A text box 52 is displayed for the user to enter the party's name in. After the user enters the name and clicks the search button 54, the system searches the 5 database 30 for documents associated with the entered name (or other business identifier such as a business number) and a list of the relevant documents 56 found is displayed to the user. Clicking on one of the listed documents starts an automatic download of the document from the 10 database 30 to the users 14-20 machine 22-28. In an alternative embodiment, the machines 22-28 are not instructed by the user to search the system. An Application Program Interface (API) 25 may be provided for 15 use on a user's machine. Using the API a program on the user's machine can interface with the system 1 and request from the system information relating to an entity. To this end, the program sends a request to the system. The request includes an entity identifier, for example an ABN. 20 The system 1 receives the request and checks the electronic file system to see if the entity corresponding to the entity identifier has documents stored against it. If there is at least one document the system may return to the API a logical "true" and/or may return to the API a 25 web link to the system. If there is no document the system 1 returns false. In an embodiment, the request may also include a unique identifier of the program making the call (an API 30 Key), in which case the API confirms with the system 1 that the key is valid. If the key is confirmed as valid the system processes the request; else the key is invalid and the API via the system 1 returns an error. Prior to querying the database developers may be required to 35 register for an API key to allow the system to track usage of the API. N955,5_1(GHMntCters - 15 The API creates a synergistic relationship between the system and the program accessing it via the API. This encourages developers to enrich their applications while 5 at the same time promoting the Credit Watch system. In one example, a wholesaler may need to decide if to sell to the retailer base on very limited data. A preliminary check could involve consulting a public directory such as the YELLOWPAGES (TM) to confirm the identity of a retailer. 10 When the wholesaler looks up the retailer on the directory an indicator may be coincident with the display of the retailer's directory entry. The indicator may, for example, be a red flag displayed next the retailer's name indicating that documents attesting to an outstanding debt is relating the entity are on the system. The flag may be a clickable link back to the system. The display of an indicator informs the wholesaler and may influence the wholesaler's selling decision. In another example, a new client entered into enterprise software of a company may 20 trigger the enterprise software to query the database directly via an Application Program Interface (API) 25 running on a user's machine 25 for credit information associated with the new client. The enterprise software may receive relevant documents or other credit related 25 information and subsequently alert an operator, or automatically set a credit limit for internal company use based on the information provided. Making an API available gives the owner of the system 30 increased exposure to potential sales of information, the developer creates a richer application, and the end-user (the wholesaler in the above example) is provided with useful information. 35 The system 1 embodiment shown in figure 1, but not all embodiments, is arranged to alert one of the 295575_1 I HM Ur) - 16 registered users when an electronic document associated with a party is received. The database has a credit-watch unit 31. A user can enter via a web page similar to that shown in figure 3 an identifier of a party it wishes the 5 system to watch. The identifier may be, for example, an officially registered name. An alternative identifier is an official number unique to the party such as an Australian Business Number or an Employer Identification Number which is used to identify a US company. This 10 identifier is added to a watch list stored in the unit 31 comprising at least one identifier. The credit-watch unit 31 periodically, in this but not necessarily all embodiments twice a day, searches the database for any new documents associated with each of the identifiers in the is watch list. If the unit 31 finds a new document it instructs the email server 34 to send an email alert to a user who registered an interest in the relevant party. The document may be attached to the email. Alternatively or additionally, the email may have a link (URL) to the 20 system or a web page relating to the party generated by the system. The email may contain explanatory text or further information on the party. In another embodiment, the alert may additionally or alternatively be sent to a social network such as facebook. The database may be 25 arranged to perform this. Users may run a custom facebook application to retrieve the information. In another embodiment, the alert may be sent via a short message service over a cellular network. 20 The system may be arranged to allow one of the users to send to another of the users an electronic communication via the system. This facility may be like an internal email system. In another, the communication is analogous to that between members of a social network 35 such as FACEBOOK (TM) . 230557-51 (GHIMttn) - 17 Now that embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated that some embodiments have some of the following advantages: a provider of a good or service that has not been s paid by a client or customer can with relative ease make information indicative of not being paid available to others; before a provider of a good or service provides the good or service to a prospective client or customer the 10 provider can with relative ease obtain information indicative of the risk that the prospective client or customer will not pay for the good or service and thus the provider can make an informed choice on whether to provide the good or service using the information; 15 the information can be obtained at a relatively low transactional cost and so the information will become accessible to a wide range of providers for which it previously was not economical to obtain such information; the expected wide spread adoption of the system, 20 especially in low cost embodiments, will increase the adoption of credit watching, and the bad debtor will find it harder to use an alternative provider because the alternative provider is more likely to know of their credit/debt status using the system which may force the 25 bad debtor to settle their debt instead of moving to the alternative provider. Some variations on the specific embodiments include; the system may run on networks other than the 30 internet, such as a mobile or smart phone network, a banking network, or be accessible over a telephone using an interactive voice response system which may be queried for credit/debt status information. The architecture of the system may comprise stand alone computers, network 35 computers, dedicated computing devices, or any device capable of receiving and processing information or data. Where the terms "computing system" and "computing devices" 29 /_(GHM226,) - 18 and similar expressions are utilised throughout the specification, these terms are intended to cover any appropriate arrangement of computer hardware and/or software required to implement at least an embodiment of s the invention. For example, the computing system may be a personal computer, a mainframe-client system, may comprise thin or thick clients, an embedded system, etc. An electronic file system may comprise any electronic storage media, such as a hard drive, that electronic data can be 10 stored on (such as the documents in an electronic data format) and subsequently retrieved, and may comprise associated control and input/output hardware, and a method of storing and organising the data on the media. For example, a server running data base software may be 15 described as an electronic file system. The documents may or may not be stored on the database. It will be appreciated that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown 20 in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 25 In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, 30 i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that, if any prior art 25 publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part 2395575i (CHk~szer:0 - 19 of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. 23G57G.. i (GHMatemr)